Instructor: Dr Algirdas Makarevicius

Students: Intermediate level

Number of hours: 3 academic hours

 

WEEK 1

 

Topic:

 

Language, Communication and Traveling

 

 

1. The teacher introduces herself/himself.

 

2. Brief introduction to the course.

 

3. A short lecture covering the following topics.

 

How is English important for traveling, communication and business?

 

What is ‘speaking’ and how to learn to speak efficiently?

 

What are the differences between ‘public speaking’ and ‘face-to-face communication’?

 

Language, information, knowledge, creativity, thinking and communication.

 

Basic secrets of learning a foreign language quickly and well.

To learn a word in a foreign language means to know how to

• Spell
• Pronounce
•  Understand (recognize when it is written)
•  Understand (when it is pronounced in different situations)
• Use
• Feel
• Know many of its meanings.

Types of words in a foreign language we know and we don’t know:

• Active
• Passive
• New (unknown to us).

4. Language and Thought Processes.

We think in the language we use.

5. Hidden Aspects of Communication.

Communication is far more than speech and writing. Most of us are unaware that we are communicating in many different ways even when we are not speaking. We rarely learn about this mostly non-verbal communication in school even though it is very important for effective interaction with others.

 Body Language/Paralanguage

Paralanguage is the language of

• gestures,
• mimics,
• expressions,
• postures.

6. Getting to know each other better: introductions. Introduce yourself to your friends.

 

Tell the following facts about yourself:

 

(1)   name: Chinese name in Chinese; English name (if you have it)

(2)   hometown, family, friends

(3)   the school or university in which you studied in the past

(4)   major subjects you studied and degree achieved

(5)   present job and profession (or school, if you study at present)

(6)   hobbies and interests

(7)   traveling experience

(8)   future plans: study, travel, marry, have children, start a business, find a better job, emigrate to a foreign country, find a boyfriend/girlfriend, etc.

 

7. Tell your partner (a person who is sitting next to you) about yourself before you ask each of these questions.

• What name do your family and close friends call you?
• What is your birthplace?
• What languages do you speak?
• What do you say to people who ask, "Tell me, what kind of work do you do?"
• What do you like to do more than anything else in the world?
• What three adjectives other people might use to describe your personality?
• What was the happiest year of your life?
• Where did you spend your best vacation?
• What's your favorite sport?
• What is your favorite food?
• Talk about some of your interests, hobbies and favorite pastimes.
• Describe the kinds of things you like to read for pleasure. Compare them to the materials you must read for work or other purposes.
• Describe the social and professional activities that give you the most opportunity to speak English.
• What languages do you speak or are you studying?
• Describe how, where, why, and from whom you learned English.
• What version of English (British, Canadian, Australian or American) were you taught?
• Have all of your teachers been native-English speakers? Which versions of English did they speak?
• Can you distinguish the various regional and national accents of English speakers? Which versions of English did they speak?
• How many opportunities do you have to speak English during a typical week?
• What aspects of the English language give you the most trouble: listening comprehension, speaking, learning new words, understanding grammar, or writing?
• On what aspect of English would you most like to concentrate in your sessions with your partner?
• How quickly do you want to improve your English?
• What level of fluency are you aiming for?
• Have you ever had a friendship with someone who spoke a different language? What language(s) did you use to communicate? How did it affect your relationship?
• Which language do you think is the most difficult to learn? Why?
• Are some languages more beautiful to listen to than others? If so which? Are there any languages that you really don't like the sound of? Why?
• Why do you want to improve your English?
• How is your personality different when you speak another language? For example, are you more or less outgoing?
• What's the best way to learn a language?
• Do you like to listen to music in other languages? Do you make an effort to understand the words?
• How often to you read in another language? What kinds of things do you read? Why?

8. Talking about traveling.

 

Use the following key words:

 

world atlas, equator, capital city, multicultural city, flag, hemisphere, national park, rain forest, continent, ocean, desert, mountain peak, earthquake, volcano, volcanic origin, arctic circle, glaciers, bay, gulf, Antarctica.

 

Answer and discuss the following questions about traveling. Speak with your partner.

 

• What countries have you visited or lived in?
• Describe the best trip you ever took. Where did you go? Who did you travel with? What did you do?
• Do you have any immediate plans to travel or pursue an international career?
• Please name the continents of the world.
• Please name famous cities and countries of the world.
• What are the seven wanders of the world?
• Which famous mountains, lakes, rivers, and deserts do you know?
• Which country would you like to visit first? Why?
• Describe the worst trip you ever took. Where did you go? What made it a bad trip?
• What three countries would you most like to visit? Why?
• When you were a child, did your family take trips? Would you always go to the same place or different places?
• Have you ever taken a package tour? If so, tell about this experience?
• Would you like to take a cruise? Why or why not?
• What type of accommodations do you usually stay in when you travel?
• Have you ever hitchhiked? If so, where were you and how was this experience?
• Where will you go on your next vacation?
• What three countries would you least like to visit? Why?

 

9. Names of countries.

 

Syria, Andorra, Austria, Australia, Monaco, Madagascar, Tuvalu, Georgia, Jamaica, Finland, Bangladesh, Norway, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Nauru, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Latvia, Swaziland, Switzerland, Spain, Italy, Burma, Panama, Bahrain, Brazil, South Africa, Barbados, Afghanistan, Canada, India, France, Bhutan, Germany, Fiji, Denmark, Palau, Peru, Burma, Mexico, Rwanda, Portugal, China, Albania, Morocco, the United States of America (= the USA), Liechtenstein, Poland, Bulgaria, Congo, Tajikistan, Kenya, the Netherlands, United Kingdom (=UK), Colombia, Ireland, Iceland, Turkey, Cyprus, Greece, Armenia, Barbados, Nicaragua, Samoa, Estonia, Uzbekistan, Belarus, Ukraine, Botswana, Papua New Guinea, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, El Salvador, Laos, Yugoslavia, Grenada, Macedonia, Croatia, Saudi Arabia, New Zealand, Haiti, Kuwait, Ethiopia, Qatar, Vatican, Ecuador, Yemen, United Arab Emirates (=UAE), Tanzania, Macedonia, Egypt, Japan, Tonga, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Romania, Vietnam, Thailand, Zambia, Kiribati, Holland, Chile, Bolivia, Philippines, Cuba, Eritrea, Nigeria, Niger, Korea, Indonesia, Moldova, Argentina, Russia, Sweden, Israel, Malaysia.

 

10. Answer the following questions.

 

Which is the smallest country according to its population?

 

Which is the largest country according to its territory?

 

Please sort out the above countries according to continents.

• Africa
• Antarctica
• Asia
• Australia
• Europe
• North America
• South America

9. What are the wonders of the world?

•     What do you know about them?
•     Which ones would you like to see?
•     Discuss wonders of the Ancient World.